由肖恩· He Yuxun

源头从中国从一种直接，费用被驾驶的方法演变了更加精心制作和更加战略的品种。 当最近产品取消没有似乎冲击了根据整体图时的中国出口，然而我们否则遇到了轶事证据建议。

最初的源头兴趣由中国的臭名远扬的低成本无容置疑地触发，指挥(例如那些为劳方和土地或者租)和间接(回报在无数政府出口刺激之下，例如给津贴的燃料费用，出口VAT退款、非征税和税收减少)。

多年来锻炼从静态，每项目价格被驾驶的做法演变了到更加老练那些。 例如，许多美国买家现在使用垂直或侧向地集成方法或者两个。

在前情景，买家会来源不仅某一部分或他们开始了与最初的组分，他们现在会也来源完成品并且它包装。 一些也许去就得到产品准备好被搁置，完全与他们在存放价牌。

在后者情景，买家在一个价格敏感市场会不仅来源唯一产品，而且相似或免费产品对形式产品捆绑作为方式劝阻直销价比较和因而提高他们的竞争性。

Another form of advanced approach is value-added sourcing. In this approach, a buyer would also gain support from Chinese suppliers (often those with strong capabilities) such value-added services as new product R&D, design and prototyping.

In strategic sourcing, a buyer would employ one or more of the following tactics that don’t seem to be directly related to what they are currently doing: 

- Sourcing other non-related products from the same area for logistic concerns 
- Sourcing new products to meet a potential demand upon foreseeing a trend 
- Seeking alternative suppliers as backup to and/or to keep the primary supplier competitive 
- Engaging in sourcing activities just to get a gauge on the marketplace 
- Sourcing to change existing business model. For example, a US military supplier is required to make their products domestically. But they decided to resort to sourcing from China to expand their otherwise rather minor commercial operation. This would enable them to turn their military side of the operation into a temporary ‘loss leader’ and thus better compete and win greater market share in that sector. Eventually they would be able to reap the resulted economy of scale and become profitable again in that operation.

Did the recent massive product recalls in the US hurt Chinese exports?

At the macro level, other than a tarnished ‘Made in China’ label in the media, it seems ‘business as usual’ for Chinese exports, which had enjoyed a 34% growth as of the end of October ‘07.

Bear in mind, however, that much of this growth came from non-consumer products, such as steel.

But at a micro level, however, we have come across anecdotal evidence suggesting the otherwise. For example, from talking to members in our network, we found that some companies are now more eager to locate alternative sources outside China, for example, in India and Vietnam.

One other anecdote involves a US-based manufacturer who suddenly saw a spike in inquiries and orders following the recalls. Incidentally, a recent New York Times story about this year being a wooden toy maker’s best year ever seemed to echo this as well.

Yet another situation involves a leading North America-based personal health product company which encountered much tightened registration requirements in their sample sourcing efforts. Just for comparison: Before the recalls hit the news we had helped them source and launch a major product line with 6 months. But since the fiasco, the import approval process alone has already taken them 4 months and it is still far from getting done…

Shawn He Yuxun, MeetChinaBiz